9-1-1 Season 9: Burning Questions We Need Answered This Fall, From Athena's Next Steps to Buck's Big Move

It's been more than two weeks since 9-1-1 wrapped one of its most series-defining seasons yet (for better or worse), but that doesn't mean I've stopped thinking about the 118. In fact, the more time passes, the more time I've had to wonder how Season 9 could play out for each of our our fire-fighting favorites this fall.
Without any concrete insight from showrunner Tim Minear (yet), it remains anyone's guess what the future holds for the 118 as they continue to find their way forward in the wake of Bobby's death. So what are we left to do in this situation? Why, wildly speculate, of course!
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The season may have ended on a positive note for several characters (Maddie gave birth, Hen and Karen formally adopted Mara, the Diaz boys moved back Los Angeles, etc.), but it also left just as many characters at a crossroads, from Athena selling her house to Buck begrudgingly vacating Eddie's couch.
Read on for the eight burning questions I have ahead of Season 9, including at least one I'm sure you'll hate, then drop a comment with your own queries below.
This feels like one of the biggest question marks on our list. When Athena put her house on the market and drove away in the Season 8 finale, it felt like more than just a farewell to a plot of land. She was leaving her life with Bobby in the rearview, headed towards a fresh start. But what, exactly, does that mean for Athena? Where will she live? Will she remain a sergeant with the LAPD, or might she follow a new calling? And even though I feel like it's way too soon to think about this… might she still have another great love story left in her someday?
Maddie's first pregnancy back in Season 5 led to a powerful storyline about postpartum depression, one which nearly cost Jennifer Love Hewitt's character her life. The Season 8 finale ended with the joyous birth of Maddie and Chimney's son, Robert 'Bobby' Nash Hahn, but it's hard not to worry about that joy being short-lived. Here's hoping Maddie has a much easier time with baby No. 2 — that poor woman has already been through enough!
Speaking of people who have been through enough already, Season 8 ended on an extremely positive note for the Wilsons, as Hen and Karen officially adopted Mara into their family. But there's that word, 'family.' 9-1-1 seems to take a special delight in putting this particular family in jeopardy, whether it's via the return of a problematic biological parent, the menacing tactics of a vengeful councilwoman, or just the occasional freak accident that puts one or more of their lives in danger. So while I'm always relieved to see Hen and Karen enjoying even a fleeting moment of happiness, I can't help but wonder what future nightmares Season 9 has in store for them.
Once Hen passed on the promotion to captain of the 118, Chimney became the next logical choice to fill Bobby's turnout gear — especially after that powerful finale speech. But just because Hen accidentally called him 'cap,' that doesn't mean the job is officially his… yet. Will he finally sign on the dotted line in the Season 9 premiere, or is this something he'll have to fight for? If the latter, who would he be up against?
Season 8 finally gave Buddie fans what they've always wanted — Buck and Eddie living together under the same roof. Unfortunately, that dream turned out to be short-lived, as the finale ended with Buck moving out to find a place of his own. It was obvious that he didn't want to leave, telling his realtor that he liked how lived-in his last place felt, so there's always a chance he could end up back at Chateau Diaz. The only question is: would the show really be that good to us?
Like all 9-1-1 viewers, I've had a soft spot for Ravi ever since his 'probie' days. And by the end of Season 8, he was really beginning to feel like a full-time member of the team — nay, a full-time member of the family. Heck, he was front and center for some of the season's most formative moments, from the death of Bobby to the birth of… also Bobby. This leaves me to wonder: when will 9-1-1 finally give actor Anirudh Pisharody a well-deserved promotion, potently revealing more about Ravi in the process?
With Rescue: HI-Surf cancelled at Fox, Arielle Kebbel is now available to return to the 118's orbit, and I wouldn't hate that one bit. Besides being a Kebbel stan since the days of John Tucker Must Die, I've always considered Lucy to be an under-explored character with a lot of potential. Plus, once considered a viable love interest for Buck, Lucy would undoubtedly have a memorable reaction to the news of his recent bisexual awakening.
Much like the show itself, I've had a complicated relationship with Buddie over the years. The spark between Buck and Eddie has been obvious since the latter joined the 118 in Season 2, but as time progressed, I began to give up hope. When Buck came out as bisexual in Season 7, however, everything changed. The idea of him and Eddie finally seeing what fans have seen for years was no longer a pipe dream, but rather a very real possibility. And Season 8 marked another undeniable milestone on the road to Buddieville, when Maddie asked her brother point blank if he's in love with his best friend. Buck denied having feelings for Eddie, of course, but his actions continue to speak otherwise. And they speak loudly. After cruelly taking Bobby from us, the least 9-1-1 can do now is give us Buddie in exchange. Is that really so much to ask?
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